BNP delegation holds talks with CEC Nasir amid postal ballot controversy

The meeting comes after the party expressed concerns over postal ballots and social media claims on overseas voting

A BNP delegation has sat for talks with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin amid controversy surrounding postal ballots for the parliamentary election.

The meeting began around 1:30pm on Thursday at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka, Election Commission officials said.

The talks are taking place over the placement of the “Paddy Sheaf” symbol on postal ballots, with social media discussion focusing on large numbers of postal ballot envelopes at single locations in Bahrain and Qatar.

The delegation is led by BNP National Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed. He is accompanied by Ismail Jabiullah, a member of the BNP chairperson’s Advisory Council and the party's election management committee, and former acting EC secretary Mohammad Zakaria.

The BNP team arrived at the Election Building shortly before 1pm.

At the time, the EC was holding the sixth day of hearings on appeals against returning officers’ decisions on the validity of candidates. The meeting with the BNP delegation began during a break in those hearings.

The party had earlier expressed dissatisfaction over the EC’s role in enforcing the electoral code of conduct, as well as the placement of its party symbol on printed postal ballots.

Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan said on Wednesday that although leaders of several political parties have violated the electoral code of conduct, the EC has remained “indifferent and silent”.

Referring to the printed postal ballots, where symbols of three political parties appear at the very top while the BNP symbol is placed along a fold, he said: “You can clearly see that this has been done deliberately. We consider it highly unfair and unethical.

“We believe this needs to be corrected quickly. The Election Commission should fix the issue, and if necessary, reprint the ballots. There is enough time to do so.”

The meeting with the CEC comes a day after those allegations were made public.